: : : : : : : Could the original query have something to do with
the 'lie of the land,' meaning the topography of the land? Scouts
were sent ahead of exploration parties to guage the lie of the land
and the best 'lie to take' was based on their reports. I'm sure
I've seen this usage before but cannot find any examples just now.

: : : : : : Nope. It's "lay of the land." From Merriam-Webster
online: "6 : the way in which a thing lies or is laid in relation
to something else"

: : : : Thank you all.
: : : : TS

: : :
: : : From www.bartleby.com: "lie of the land, lay of the land"
: : :
: : : Both locutions are Standard, meaning "the way things are literally
or figuratively positioned with respect to other things," as in
"As soon as we get a look at the lie [lay] of the land, we'll decide
what to do next." Hah!

: : I stand corrected. Humbled beyond words.

: Lie and lay are two verbs which cause a lot of problems, made
worse because the past tense of I lie is I lay. To lay, to put down,
is transitive and always takes a direct object - lay eggs, lay the
table, lay bets. To lie, to recline, is intransitive - lie in the
sun. A search for Usage "lie and lay" will produce several pages
explaining the differences.

: 'The lie of the land' means 'the way the land lies' which is
grammatically correct. 'The lay of the land' is found in usage too,
lthough 'the way the land lays' is grammatically incorrect. It's
a good example of the confusion between the two verbs.

As verbs, lie and lay are exceedingly tricky,
Like a spider web - subtle and shiny and sticky;
You can say that you lay on the grass yesterday,
But you must be a hen if today's when you lay.

A person can lay a brick. A hen can lay an egg.
But sleeping dogs (and people) lie, unless they lay down yesterday.